Resonate “23: A Truly Beautiful Picture

By the time it was over every single one of them was dirty and hoarse and their hair was turning back into dreadlocks. Their noses were filled with dust and pollen (?) and the corners of their eyes curved down from days without sleep. They had come safely through the gauntlet, not only unscathed but in many ways healed, brought back into the warm embrace of pure festival love. Suwannee Resonate had swooped through the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park March 30-April 1, 2023 and left in its wake a populace of stunned hippies who could simply smile and marvel at the scene they’d just witnessed. For the entire show to come off without a hitch it takes contributions from everyone. Producers, promoters, artists and guests all the way down to the wooks and their ilk, all working in unison to build something special. This is no April Fool’s joke. These are certainly strange and colorful times we live in and every once in a while we just get it right. There’s a caterpillar in your coffee. Welcome to Suwannee Resonate “23: A Truly Beautiful Picture.

Wednesday Turnaround: They had only been gone from the park a few days since the hoedown that was Suwannee Spring Reunion the weekend prior. Several of the camps had left their tapestries up and decided to roll on through to Resonate and why not, aces back to back. Holly saved the spot by the Bill Monroe Pavilion and Kamp Happiness rolled right up to the street with the kind of central address that attracts attention, wanted and unwanted. Peanut butter-banana smoothie? They were joined by Mikey, Regina the crazy Argentinian, Pedro the Mexican thief and Spider Master Kush. The Atlanta crowd had taken over the pavilion so the wooks were pushed back out into the night where they belonged. They’d been saving firewood for days so they were set for the week and the forecast called for perfect weather and entirely sideways fun.

Lizard Bumps?

Mexican Thursday: Her name was Pedro and the reflection in her eyes showed little fear. Her greasy mustache curled in a sinister way under her lip and it was apparent she was not to be trifled with. She had the dirt “in” her and it wasn’t washing off. She and Lucy went to catch the Tamayo set before running into Trinket at the corn dog booth.  Corn dogs with Ramen numerals? The streets were loose with Birmingham belly dancers and Chihuahuas and by Side Trakd everyone was getting their wiggle on. Someone was definitely getting lost in a poral-let before the sun came up. Night time would arrive with two sets of STS9 and a head full of the fluff. On her way back to camp she briefly stopped to check her face in someone’s side mirror and almost got run over by Ted as he tore his golf cart around the corner. Remember kids, the speed limit throughout the park is five miles per hour.

Friday Street Fire: Friday hosted the celebration of life drum circle as a tribute for Chuck and Charlie Morris. Support for Jenny Thompson and family can be offered at this link. Purple was the flavor with reminders of the family support of Purple Hatter’s Ball, which celebrates the life of Rachel Morningstar Hoffman.

Pedro built a fire by the street without the use of Doritos (ed. note-eat it K’aoli) and the party spilled forth from the dark of the woods. Black cyanide smoke billowed from the plastic melting over the coals. Lucy was worried it would upset the moonshine fairies that lived in the Spanish moss high in the oak trees. Each night the jar would be nearly empty but after their visit, by morning the lightning would be full again. Do you believe in forest magik?

Frick Frack: Opuio was blasting nearby as Emma and Baitbucket arrived at the blackjack table. He split sixes against the dealers four, not really in the book but one has to play outside the rhombus when dealing with these kinds of madcaps. Pedro showed up with incendiaries smuggled in her bosom and Krissy came out on top betting some heavy silverware. Emma managed to fleece the table and walked away with treasures galore. Shifty crooks, all of them. They won’t think twice to take a soul but they’re afraid of losing them from the briefcase. If soul gambling has become an addiction for you, get help.

photo credit

Guyton Bass                                Jess Southwell                             Ariel Fernandez                       Heather Bennett

Jason Nail                                    Tilly Trull                                     Jason Nail                                 Heather Bennett

Matt Burkey                                Victoria Tranchese                    Rhyan Reinertsen                     Rhyan Reinertsen

Guavetron on my mind

The Atlanta crowd invited everyone to Hive Mind where Martha Firewalker got into a scuffle with a hammock with a powerful tractor beam. She could be heard screaming, “It’s trying to eat me!” over the STS9 set. Lucy found her way to the Mi Kulture tent, perfectly situated in front of the Amphitheater Stage. She’d begun to enjoy shows from the back fence next to the road. The second rail. The rail for the old people where one can enjoy the music and catch traffic along the road. She caught a reflection of herself and realized she’d forgotten about the raccoon face tattoo she’d suffered earlier. The one on JBfly’s chest looked professional but Lucy’s resembled an unfortunate case of frostbite and yet another way for the authorities to identify her. Once you join the mapaches, es for life ese.

The stranger walked up to MJ during the Emancipator set and began dancing with her in a somewhat provocative yet sloppily way. She wanted to dance alone so she donned her pashmina and horn rimmed sunglasses and morphed into an Argentinian woman named Regina. She didn’t speak English but would occasionally mumble, “No puedo manejarlo.” before slinking off through the crowd toward the rail.

Friday night the trap house hosted the family jam and managed to keep the music going most of the night, long after more electrical stages were being shut down like bad daycares. Only the cajon got the axe just before sunrise. The guitars and fire were left unbothered and invited to continue unabashed. All glory to the  rangers and welcome to Mitch’s quiet bluegrass party.

Saturday, Ego Death Block Party: Lucy woke up in a strange tent and made what she considered the walk of pride. She’d worked the fraternity boy like a rented mule and purposely left a flip flop in the tent just so she’d have to go back later. Get thee behind me Satan. Endorphins, serotonin and dopamine all get released when dancing and the Floozies meant date night at the porch stage. We are encouraged to remember, there is absolutely no shame in the get down.

They stopped to see Jade and Daedra, (no, Delia) at A Bazaar Universe on their way to see the Polish Ambassador. Bfly purchased a vest of coatimundi fur which had a perfect place for her to smuggle her White Claws. Lizard Bumps and his camp mates were participating in the Anesthetic Olympics whereby the five team members got sideways before completing a detailed task. Team building can be an important tool for interpersonal growth within the office setting. All aboard. This train is leaving the disassociation station. He managed to find his way into the showers, barely clutching the last strands of reality when audio hallucinations began vibrating his entire head. As they became louder and more sustained he began to slide to the floor, doubting his own mind and preparing for the fetal position. As he peered out of the shower curtain he realized the sound was emanating from a didgeridoo being played directly next to him, within the fantastic acoustics of the restroom. Curiouser and curiouser…But maybe he wasn’t going mad…just yet. Lifetime ban? There is no such thing as a death penalty.

-Hot Guy Alert-

Lettuce closed things out on the Amphitheater Stage and opened into the portal of a Saturday night not witnessed since the rule of the ancients. Live electric jams, clown parties and roving saxophone shows shut down traffic in front of the Hobo Kamp and pushed the button on the family jam block party. Thanks to Mateo for bringing all the noise and keeping the fun in funk. Cruise control took over the collective at some point and the forest became alive with the right kind of energy. The source. The switch had been thrown and there would be no coming back. The audience and the performers had ultimately become one and the celebration dance was on. Mission accomplished.

When it’s right, it’s right and on a night like this, the clock slows down almost to a stop and the inner rhythm emerges. There were those who pointed further down into the abyss, where the ego is forbidden, only to be rescued by the jedi flip later in the night. Renegade sets from Future Joy to Tamayo and beyond provided more spots than could be visited in the wee hours of the morning.

Lil d-Big AREL showed up just to stir the pot and exchange schematics for Hulaween. Naturally he would park right on the the dance floor (Boston style), hoping to break something or at least piss someone off. Orlando and Mario slid in at some point and things continued to tilt toward the edge of the flat earth. Did you hear that? It sounded like the scream of someone with a bat trapped in their bus.

Heavy Handed Savages? Sometime around four Tyler showed back up with Blanco’s guitar. Bucket had let him borrow it ever since Mateo and the electric saxophone showed up around one. He couldn’t believe his vibrating eyes. The guitar was speckled with blood, which they’d witnessed at Merlefest, but this time it only had three working strings left on it. Brutal and crusty savagery of the third order. Earlier he’d been called out for banging a little hard, but three strings? Great gravy said the lady, that is one biscuit of a hot mess. Is it possible to follow some rules of decorum while being ravaged within the vortex of the party? It certainly takes a special breed.

Sunday Vibe, April Fool’s and the Grit and Slide? No matter what kind of party it is, when at their best the wranglers are around a campfire making homemade music. The Sunday morning family jam lasted most of the day and celebrated the extra day of fun offered as a gift by the park. Never miss that show which was supposed to include a slip and slide. April Fool’s? Nades said Pedro. With the help of Quinn and the gang she mused, “If you build it, they will come.” The grit and slide gets five stars on the Yoast review.

Deep Bleating and the Slumberjack: Welcome to white girl White Claw drunk.  Do you hear the deep bleating of a goat from back in the woods? They have a special scent to be sure and it’s standard operating procedure to put tennis balls on their horns. Damnable. Methinks this will not end well.

He’d hustled so well the week before he’d worked himself out of job. Now he was loose and left to his own devices. He’d heard too much, knew too much. He would have to be kept under surveillance, for a while at least. The kind of man who could sleep folded like an origami lawn chair, he admittedly “could not” play a guitar. Honest to the point of recklessness.

Sunday beach day? The weather is here, I wish you were beautiful. From the grit and slide to the fire spinners on the sandy shores of the Suwannee River, for many this would be the first wash of the weekend.  Come wash that stink off and get saved.

“Take me to the hospital. I’m having a seizure.”

photo credit

Memorandum Media                 Martha Jane Miller                 Martha Jane Miller                   Martha Jane Miller

MattBurkey                                   Jay Strausser Visuals            Shannon Wegznek                     Martha Jane Miller

Sharona Hughes                          Jessica Ricksgers                    Jessica Ricksgers                        Tristan Walsh

Baitbucket was sent to the store with twenty bucks to purchase vaginal disks and 305s. They were out of bear spray but he knew something similar would be needed. Emma had been getting sassy and it would be necessary for her black sheep druncle to take her down a peg. Glass blowers are sexy. Facts.

When did Pedro take over the hagglin’ table? It happened so fast it was seamless. Definitely a shrewd wheeler-dealer, a great career as a horse trader lay in her future.

Visit our site at Merch Booth for official wook wranglers gear.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the White Claw trap house block party. Keep up with the Hobo Kamp, Circle K? Trading Post and new cast net contest at Summer Camp and Mountain Music Festival. It’s all about muscle memory.

photo credit

Jessica Ricksgers                        Jason Thomas                          Tristan Walsh                        Tristan Walsh

Krissy Stiver                                Matthew O’Brien                     Heather Bennett                    Jaime Anne

Holly Nicole                                 Jaime Anne                              Jeremy Greenwood               Megan Ruth

He said, “You can’t wrangle a wook.”                                                              She said, “we wranglin’ each other.”

Surrounded by family, many of the highlights of the weekend revolved around the family jam at camp. Sitting around the fire playing guitars reminded her of Grandpa Smith and the years spent doing that very thing at church picnics and family gatherings. But now it was Kamp Happiness with all the hippies stopping by to sing and play. Same songs as grandpa played. Best case scenario, we lock it down and create a safe, greasy place for the herd to coalesce. Music, lights and hippies. I love you in an all the way way.

Essential Productions, a Midwest-based music event production team, and producers of Resonate Suwannee teamed up with friend and park ambassador Paul Levine of Purple Hat Productions. This newly formed partnership, exceptional lineup, and the beauty of Suwannee has inspired one of the best festival experiences around. Our thanks to Paul Levine for letting the wranglers be involved from Purple Hatter’s to Rising, Hulaween to Resonate. The influence and family vibe from those festivals all the way back to Bear Creek could be felt throughout the weekend. When it works so well at the top, the glitter trickles down to every aspect of the festival.

Visit the Resonate website and like their social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Science is real, escape the firmament.

Of course Lucy got yelled at a couple times by park personnel. Was she driving a little over five miles an hour? Yes. But shutting down the Circle K? Trading Post seemed a little harsh. Sadly no wheeling and dealing until dark? As much as she’d dealt with the park over the years, she realized that when it came down to it, they had the same goals and were all working toward the same end. They all wanted folks to come to the park, have fun and be safe. And of course the wranglers like to arrive there through the middle of the Lego chrysanthemum.

Monday Exit Strategy: As always, the slow breakdown with Tenderfoot followed the Suwannee exit strategy. Just helping finish the tanks. They picked up the butts, dumped the food and scored two new canopies. Not too shabby. Four in the afternoon was the hard line for the sheriff so they were out just before that. From there the road led to Mexican Monday and a hot shower in a cheap motel.

“How do you get a wook out of your car?”

“Well, lemme see. Hmmm. How do you?”

“It’s not a joke. I mean really, how do you get a wook out of your car?”

This group of engineers gathered together like some kind of think tank and began planning the block party at Hulaween. This was the core of that family. They would be back in a few months with a vengeance. This festival came off without a hitch and friends and family came together to frolic in the womb of the Spirit of Suwannee. Sitting on the blanket, around the fire with a celebration of timeless joy. It’s a kind of magic that reveals itself when all the pieces come together and practice makes perfect.

Follow the wranglers as we head to Ozark, AR and Backwoods at Mulberry Mountain. We hope to find Spider Master Kush and Penny Lane with Kamp Happiness for more frabjous exaltations. It is a treasure you seek, just not of silver and gold.                                                                                                       namaste y’all.